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Early Childhood Care and Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2015

Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Ceisteanna (359)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

359. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question Number 368 of 1 December 2015, his views on correspondence (details supplied) in relation to the early childhood care and education scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45357/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 to provide for one free pre-school year for children before they commenced primary school. Children aged between 3 year and 2 months and 4 years and 7 months in the relevant year qualified for the free provision. Those children qualifying for free pre-school in the 2015/2016 programme year were born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012. Children born after 30 June 2012 will qualify for free pre-school in the 2016/17 programme year (i.e. from September 2016). This eligibility criteria remains in place until the introduction of the expanded programme at the commencement of the 2016/2017 programme year.

The expanded ECCE programme set new parameters to the eligibility age range for children availing of the programme from September 2016, with children born between 1 January 2012 and 31 August 2013 qualifying at that date. From September 2016, children will be eligible to avail of the programme from the first enrolment opportunity after they reach 3 years of age. These children can remain in the programme until they make the transition to primary school (once the child is not older than 5½ years at the end of the relevant programme year i.e. end June).

The cohort of approximately 36,000 children born in the second half of 2012 referred to by the Deputy could only have availed of increased free pre-school provision if it was possible to introduce the expanded programme from January 2016. While it is recognised that there may be some pre-school services in a position to meet the increased demand and accommodate individual enrolments from this cohort from this date, there is clear evidence to suggest that there would not be sufficient capacity in the early years sector to accommodate all 36,000 children in this cohort.

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